Head of Security Architecture - Cyber Defense

AlFuttaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim is seeking a seasoned Head of Security Architecture - Cyber Defense in Dubai to shape enterprise cybersecurity strategy and architecture. The role requires leadership of global security engineering across applications, cloud, data, and identity, embedding security by design throughout transformation programmes and emerging technologies.

Ideal candidates have 18+ years in information security, with at least 8 years in enterprise security architecture or leadership, and hold top

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.
• 18+ years of progressive information security experience, including 8+ years in enterprise security architecture or leadership.
• Strong certifications such as CISSP, ISSAP, GIAC GDSA, CASP, CISM, CCSP, SABSA, TOGAF or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Define the enterprise security architecture vision, strategy, principles, and multi-year roadmap.
• Align cybersecurity architecture with business objectives and risk priorities.
• Act as deputy to the Chief Information Security Officer on architecture and strategic security matters.
• Lead global security architecture and engineering across applications, cloud, infrastructure, data, and identity.
• Establish a formal security service catalogue, target operating model and governance structures.
• Embed security by design into business initiatives, technology programmes, acquisitions and product development.

Skills

Enterprise security architecture

Cybersecurity strategy

Security engineering leadership

Deputy CISO responsibilities

Zero Trust architecture

AI security

Machine learning security

Cloud-native security

Identity and access management

Secure software development lifecycle

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Security / CS / Computer Engineering

Job description

Head of Security Architecture - Cyber Defense Job Snapshot

Role: Head of Security Architecture - Cyber Defense

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: I T and Services

Function: Computer-Network Security

Experience: 18 years

Job Type: Full-time

Job Overview

Head of Security Architecture - Cyber Defense in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior I T and Services leadership opportunity responsible for defining enterprise security architecture, guiding global engineering teams, and strengthening cyber resilience across cloud, applications, infrastructure, identity, and data environments. Al-Futtaim is hiring an accomplished cybersecurity executive who can act as deputy to the CISO, influence enterprise strategy, and embed security by design across transformation programmes and emerging technologies.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: I T and Services Function: Computer-Network Security Salary: 65000-90000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Head of Security Architecture will shape the technical direction of enterprise cybersecurity while ensuring that security priorities remain aligned with business growth and technology modernization. The role combines executive influence, architecture governance, engineering leadership, and hands-on technical oversight. Strong performance will help reduce systemic risk, improve security consistency, accelerate secure digital delivery, and prepare the organization for emerging threats involving artificial intelligence, cloud platforms, quantum computing, identity, and third-party ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

• Define the enterprise security architecture vision, strategy, principles, and multi-year roadmap.
• Align cybersecurity architecture with business objectives, enterprise technology plans, digital transformation, and risk priorities.
• Act as deputy to the Chief Information Security Officer on architecture, engineering, and strategic security matters.
• Lead global security architecture and engineering functions across applications, cloud, infrastructure, data, and identity.
• Establish a formal security service catalogue, target operating model, governance structure, and ways of working.
• Refresh and institutionalize the group security strategy across business units and regional operations.
• Provide executive guidance on AI security, Zero Trust, quantum readiness, cloud-native protection, and emerging cyber risks.
• Embed security by design into business initiatives, technology programmes, acquisitions, and product development.
• Establish enterprise-wide security standards, control frameworks, reference architectures, patterns, and technical baselines.
• Chair or oversee security design reviews for major projects, platforms, applications, and third-party integrations.
• Conduct architecture assurance and ensure identified security risks are formally addressed before implementation.
• Partner with governance, risk, and compliance teams to align architecture with regulatory, legal, and industry obligations.
• Integrate security architecture with enterprise risk management and vendor risk processes.
• Mature the security architecture operating model to improve scalability, consistency, efficiency, and stakeholder confidence.
• Define security controls for public cloud, private cloud, on-premises systems, networks, applications, and data platforms.
• Guide secure adoption of artificial intelligence, machine learning, container platforms, cloud-native services, and automation.
• Develop Zero Trust architecture across identity, devices, networks, applications, workloads, and data.
• Establish future-readiness plans for post-quantum cryptography and quantum-related security risks.
• Provide architectural oversight for cloud transformation, data protection, identity management, and privileged access.
• Embed secure software development lifecycle practices across engineering and product teams.
• Strengthen DevSecOps controls through automated testing, policy enforcement, and continuous security validation.
• Evaluate advanced cybersecurity tools and recommend solutions that improve prevention, detection, resilience, and response.
• Partner with security engineering and Security Operations Centre teams to operationalize architectural controls.
• Integrate security principles into monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and recovery playbooks.
• Support major incident investigations and provide architecture-focused root cause analysis.
• Identify recurring security weaknesses and implement enterprise-level design improvements.
• Improve defense-in-depth by coordinating preventive, detective, corrective, and recovery controls.
• Automate security guardrails and technical controls across platforms wherever practical.
• Build, mentor, and lead high-performing security architecture and engineering teams.
• Define team structures, responsibilities, capability requirements, and career development pathways.
• Coach senior architects and engineers while promoting accountability, innovation, and sound risk judgment.
• Present security strategy, architecture decisions, risks, and investment priorities to executive stakeholders.
• Influence business and technology leaders to adopt secure solutions without creating unnecessary delivery barriers.
• Maintain awareness of threat intelligence, technology developments, regulatory changes, and evolving industry practices.

Ideal Profile

The successful candidate will hold a bachelor 's or master 's degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline. Applicants should have more than 18 years of progressive information security experience, including at least eight years in enterprise security architecture, cybersecurity engineering leadership, or a comparable senior role. Recognized professional certifications such as CISSP, ISSAP, GIAC GDSA, CASP , SecurityX, CISM, CCSP, SABSA, TOGAF, or equivalent credentials are strongly preferred. Candidates must demonstrate deep knowledge of enterprise security architecture, cloud-native security, Zero Trust, identity and access management, DevSecOps, data protection, and cyber resilience. Practical experience defining global standards, reference architectures, technical controls, and security operating models is essential. Exposure to AI security, machine learning risks, post-quantum planning, third-party ecosystems, and large-scale cloud transformation will be highly valuable. The preferred leader will combine technical depth with executive presence, strong commercial awareness, and the ability to influence stakeholders across security, technology, operations, risk, legal, audit, and business leadership.

Skills Set

• Enterprise security architecture
• Cybersecurity strategy
• Security engineering leadership
• Deputy CISO responsibilities
• Zero Trust architecture
• AI security
• Machine learning security
• Quantum readiness
• Post-quantum cryptography planning
• Cloud-native security
• Cloud security architecture
• Application security
• Infrastructure security
• Data security
• Identity and access management
• Privileged access management
• Secure software development lifecycle
• DevSecOps
• Security reference architectures
• Security control frameworks
• Architecture governance
• Security design reviews
• Architecture assurance
• Enterprise risk management
• Third-party riskVendor security assessment
• Regulatory compliance
• Cyber resilience
• Defense-in-depth
• Security automation
• Security service catalogue
• Target operating model
• Security standards
• Threat modelling
• Incident root cause analysis
• Security Operations Centre collaboration
• Executive stakeholder management
• Team development
• CISSP
• ISSAP
• CCSP
• SABSA
• TOGAF

Why Join Us

This opportunity provides direct influence over the cybersecurity direction of one of the region 's most diversified business groups. The role offers executive-level exposure, global architecture responsibility, and the ability to shape security across cloud transformation, digital platforms, identity, data protection, artificial intelligence, and enterprise engineering. Demand for security leaders who can connect technical architecture with business strategy continues to rise as organizations adopt more complex digital platforms and face increasingly sophisticated threats. Strong performance in this role can support future progression into Chief Information Security Officer, group technology leadership, enterprise risk leadership, or broader digital governance responsibilities.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim is a diversified privately held regional business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its operations span automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare across more than 20 countries. The group continues to invest in secure technology, cloud platforms, digital transformation, enterprise resilience, and advanced cybersecurity capabilities that protect its customers, employees, brands, and business operations.